India's Top Muslim Seminary Bans Photography, Says it's "Un-Islamic"

A similar fatwa was issued when a television reporter asked if his "facing the video camera" is against Islam.

Mufti Abdul Qasim Nomani has a point. Surely there were no cameras in Mohammed's time. If there had been someone might have snapped a photo breaking the lens and committing blasphemy.

Muslims didn't invent cameras. Even the sorts of folks who claim that everyone once used to be a Muslim and that Muslim rule ushered in a golden age that allowed Muslims to discover all sorts of amazing things that the Greeks and Romans later stole from them don't claim this.

India's leading Islamic seminary Darul Uloom has issued a fatwa, saying "photography is unlawful and a sin".

Mufti Abdul Qasim Nomani, Mohtamim (vice chancellor) of Darul Uloom Deoband, said on phone, "Photography is un-Islamic. Muslims are not allowed to get their photos clicked unless it is for an identity card or for making a passport."

I'm confused. Why are photos Un-Islamic, but phones are Islamic? Shouldn't phones also be Haram?

All India Muslim Law Personal Board member Mufti Abul Irfan Qadri Razzaqi also agreed with Nomani's fatwa. "Islam forbids photographing of humans and animals. Whoever does that will be answerable to Allah."

But somehow I think the Mufti has a bunch of photos of the Twin Towers burning somewhere.

A similar fatwa was issued when a television reporter asked if his "facing the video camera" is against Islam.

"You are right, it is prohibited in Islam to photograph and to let others photograph you. Therefore, you should seek forgiveness from Allah for the same and choose for you a work which is free from such prohibited acts.